The present invention concerns a machine and a method for thermal cleaning and separation of metal parts, preferably separating a stator from an electric motor, where the stator windings are embedded in an organic and insulating material, where the stator is placed and heated under controlled conditions in a heating chamber, where the organic material is evaporated, whereby the windings are loosened.
In connection with repair and renovation of electric motors, the stator is often to be rewound. A stator is wound with windings, normally copper windings, which are embedded in grooves in the stator housing by means of an insulating organic material, typically resin or varnish (Harz in German). This material is applied in fluid form and is set by means of heat.
Prior to rewinding, these windings are to be removed, which may be effected by mechanical removal, or by heating with a manual gas burner (uncontrolled), or by a controlled heating of the stator housing in an oven.
The latter method provides the best result, but such a facility has various drawbacks. The facilities are expensive so that small and medium repair shops cannot pay the ivestment in such a facility, and also there is an environmental aspect in this case.
When the stator is heated in the oven, the insulating organic material is brought to dissolve and is led away from the oven as flue gas. For environmental reasons, the flue gas is conducted to an afterburner that provides so strong heating of the flue gas that the organic elements are more or less completely burned off, after which the flue gas is led to the free surroundings.
Such a plant is not very economical since, as described above, it is necessary with an afterburner requiring some energy for cleaning the flue gas from organic substances.
It is also prior art to put the item in an alkaline bath which decompose the resin to some degree, after which the mechanical removal of the winding is facilitated.
It is the purpose of the invention to provide a machine and a method for thermal cleaning and separation of metal parts, preferably for releasing windings from a stator of an electric motor under controlled conditions in a heating chamber, where the evaporated matter, primarily organic material, is collected, and where the flue gas is cleaned for organic material.